Red Velvet Trifle

Did you have a good Christmas? We had a great Christmas. I didn't do much cooking or meal planning,  but I did pick a few dishes that I felt I could make without getting in the way too much. One of those dishes was this Red Velvet Trifle. I had been wanting to make this, but I didn't have a trifle bowl, which by the way has been remedied, thanks mom! I used my mother-in-law's trifle bowl and we had this for Christmas dinner.

One of the best parts of this trifle is that you can make it ahead. There is already enough going on Christmas day to be stressing about a dessert! I also think this would be great for an office party, you keep it in a fridge and it is perfect cold or at room temperature. Another reason I love trifles, is that you just crumble everything and just layer it, there isn't a lot of stress for it to be perfect, you know, like a perfectly iced caked or a cheesecake {with no cracks!}

This tasted just as delicious as it is beautiful, it is rich and decadent. It has 3 of my favorite ingredients, red velvet, marscapone, and chocolate ganache. Yum! Make this and you won't be disappointed.
Source: Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body

Ingredients:
For the Cake:
2 1/2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
1 teaspoon of Salt
2 tablespoons of Cocoa Powder,  unsweetened
2 oz. of Red Food Coloring
1/2 cup of Butter, unsalted & room temperature
1 1/2 cups of Sugar
2 Eggs,  room temperature
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1 cup of Buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon of White Vinegar
1 teaspoon of Baking Soda

For the Ganache:
1/2 cup of Half and Half
1 cup of Dark Chocolate Chips, chopped + extra for layering

For the Frosting:
8 oz. of Marscapone Cheese, room temperature
4 oz. of Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup of Sugar
2 cups of Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions:
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2, 9 inch cake pans, or 3, 8 inch cake pans; coat with butter and flour or spray liberally with Baker's Joy.

Now, in a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Next, in a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder and food coloring together until they form a paste; set aside.

Now, in the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully combined. Add the vanilla and red cocoa paste. Mix until well combined. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, when it is fully mixed in, add half of the buttermilk, another 1/3 of the flour, last 1/2 of buttermilk, and last 1/3 of flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl of the mixture and make sure it is completely mixed.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda. Add to the cake mix and combine well.

Divide the cake batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Allow the cakes to completely cool before assembling the trifle.

Now, make the ganache. In a small saucepan, bring the half and half to a simmer, not a boil. Stir in the chocolate until it is smooth; set aside.

Next, make the frosting, in a stand mixer bowl or a bowl with a hand mixer, beat the marscapone, cream cheese, and sugar together on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to medium and add the cream in and beat until it looks like soft whipped cream.

When you are ready to assemble the trifle, crumble the cake and place 1/3 of the cake crumbs on the bottom of your trifle bowl, top with 1/3 of the ganache, 1/3 of marscapone frosting, and a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips, repeat layers 2 more times.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Puppy Chow Cookies

I know that there is some controversy in what the chex mix cereal covered in peanut butter and chocolate then tossed in powdered sugar is called, some people call it muddy buddies and some people call it puppy chow. I have always called it puppy chow, so here I introduce to you puppy chow cookies.

They are just as messy to make and just as good to eat. One of my friends, said that powdered sugar is the glitter of the cooking world, I just love that quote. So. True. These are just as good to eat, however, you may not aimlessly eat half of a ziplock bag full, you may just have one cookie. I think it is a little easier to have self-control with these cookies, compared to a huge ziplock bag.

To make these cookies and have the most success, I recommend cooling the cookies completely before coating in chocolate. You can easily start this recipe at night, cool the cookies overnight, and finish the next morning!
Source: Cookies & Cups

Ingredients:
For the Cookie:
1/2 cup of Butter, room temperature for 30 minutes
1 cup of Peanut Butter, creamy
1/2 cup of Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup of Light Brown Sugar
1 Egg, large
1 tablespoon of Vanilla
1 teaspoon of Salt
1 1/4 cup of Flour

For the Coating:
1 1/2 cups of Semisweet Chocolate Chips
2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
1/3 cup of Peanut Butter, creamy
1/4 cup of Butter
2 cups of Powdered Sugar

Directions:
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper.

Now, in your mixing bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter together until until smooth. Add the sugar and light brown sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and salt and mix well. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the flour in until combined.

Next, using a tablespoon measurement, scoop out the cookie dough and roll into your palms to form a ball, fit 12 cookies on a baking sheet. Use the bottom of a glass cup and barely press on the cookie to flatten it to 1/2 inch thick.

Bake for 9-10 minutes until golden at the edge. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

After the cookies have cooled completely, in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, vegetable oil, peanut butter, and butter. Place in the microwave for one minute and stir, remove and repeat in 30 second intervals until the chocolate has melted. Place the powdered sugar in a shallow dish.

Place one cookie in the chocolate and flip using a spoon and coating each side well; remove from the chocolate to the powdered sugar dish, coat in the sugar and place on wire rack to harden. Repeat until all cookies are finished.

Store in an airtight container. I stored mine in a large gallon ziplock bag laying down with wax paper in between each layer.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Peppermint Crunch Bark

Holiday barks are one of the best and easiest treats. You can make lots of different kinds and they really do not take that long, at all.

Peppermint bark has long been Ethan's favorite, I even tried to sway him last year with Salted Chocolate Toffee Pretzel Bark, but to no avail, he was still loving his peppermint bark. This peppermint crunch bark has everything you love about regular peppermint bark, but it is amped up, just a little bit. You add rice krispie cereal to it! It gives it an extra crunch and does not mess up the flavors, that part is still traditional. When Ethan tried this one, he has a new favorite, it is that good!

Make this for someone who needs a holiday treat, your hair stylist, the mailman, package delivery guys, or your next door neighbors. It is so easy and everyone loves homemade holiday treats. 'Tis the season!
Source: Shutterbean

Ingredients:
1 lb. of White Chocolate, + 2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil if using chips
2 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal
6-7 Candy Canes, unwrapped and crushed
Wax Paper

Directions:
First, prepare a baking sheet with wax paper or a silpat mat.

Now, place the chocolate (& oil, if using just chips) in the microwave and heat for one minute, stir, and repeat in 30 second intervals, until the chocolate has melted.

Next, stir the cereal into the melted chocolate. Spread onto the baking sheet and spread out into a thin layer with a spatula. Sprinkle the crushed candy on top, you may not use all, just cover the surface.

Now, take a sheet of wax paper and press the candies into the chocolate/cereal mix. The wax will help your hands from getting burned and sticking to the chocolate. Once all of the candies have been pressed in, discard the wax paper. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. Break into pieces.

Store in an airtight container, keep in the refrigerator if your kitchen keeps warm.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Chocolate Covered Cinnamon & Peanut Butter Chex Bites

Okay, yes the name is long- the other option was Dessert Chex Bites, which is not near descriptive enough, in my opinion. Anyway, I digress, don't let the name scare you away. These are so, so, so easy to make and keep forever in the refrigerator.

These are a holiday snack that isn't too sweet, because it still has the saltiness from the cereal and nuts. I love that. It also is the perfect size bite, because they are made in a mini-muffin tin. I tried out some in a big muffin tin and much preferred the perfect size bite.

I think the old Southern saying, if it moves, monogram it applies to the holidays as well, in regards to chocolate, cover all the things in chocolate.
Source: Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients:
2 cups of Corn Chex Cereal
1 cup of Rice Chex Cereal
1 cup of Wheat Chex Cereal
1 cup of Bite-Size Pretzels
1 cup of Popcorn, plain & air-popped
1 cup of Mixed Nuts
1/4 cup of Butter, salted & melted
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1 cup of Creamy Peanut Butter
1 cup of Karo Syrup, light or dark
1 cup of Brown Sugar, light or dark
3 cups of Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1-2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil

Directions:
First, prepare your muffin tins; spray with nonstick spray. This recipe yields 24 regular sized muffins or 48 mini muffins. You could make bars, for this just spray a 9 x 13 pan.

Now, in a large bowl, combine the cereals, pretzels, popcorn, and nuts. Toss well to combine.

Next, in a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Pour over the chex mix and stir well, making sure every piece is coated, using your hands. Set aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the peanut butter, karo syrup, and brown sugar; bring to a boil. Once the mixture begins to bubble, stir for one minute and remove from heat. Pour over the chez mix and combine well with a spatula.

Using a cookie scoop, spoon, or tablespoon measurement, spoon the mixture into your prepared cupcake pans.

Now, melt the chocolate and one tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in the microwave for one minute and stir, add more vegetable oil if it is not smooth enough and microwave in 30 second increments until is is fully melted, stirring in between.

Spoon a tablespoon of chocolate over each chex mix in the muffin tins. When finished, place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to harden.

Store in a airtight container in your kitchen or if it runs warm, in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Coffee Toffee

You will be seeing more desserts, cookies, treats, and candies from me in the next two weeks and maybe a few slowcooker meals in thrown in the mix, too. We have to eat dinner, but most of the time is devoted to baking. It is one of the things that I look forward to the most about the holidays, the baking. I have already been baking and giving away to my dear friends and family and this has had some of the best reviews already. I guess it shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. It was one of the easiest things I made thus far; I have actually made it 3 times already.

If you do not have a candy thermometer, I cannot recommend enough to just get one. I just got one myself in October and had been putting it off and pushing recipes aside that needed them. That was such a shame, it is not hard to use, you literally just clip it onto your pot/pan and it was like five bucks?! Shocking. I think the accuracy from the candy thermometer is what makes this toffee so easy, it takes the guessing game out of, is it done? is it burning? questions that come with making toffee.

This toffee is spiked with espresso powder, molasses, and flaky sea salt. You really can't go wrong there.
Source: Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons of Butter
1/2 cup of Light Brown Sugar
1/2 cup of Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of Molasses
1/2 teaspoon of Sea Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of Instant Espresso Powder
1 cup of Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup of Hazelnuts, chopped

Directions:
First, line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper.

Next, in a medium- sized saucepan, with your candy thermometer attached, melt the butter, brown sugar, sugar, molasses, sea salt, and espresso together over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the thermometer reads 250 degrees, and then stir constantly until it reaches 300 degrees.

Pour the mixture on your prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and let rest for a minute. Now use an offset spatula to spread the melted chocolate over the toffee. Sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts.

Place in the freezer to harden, 20-30 minutes. When it has hardened, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

*If your kitchen is warm or you are in a warm climate, you may want to keep it in the refrigerator to prevent melting & stickiness.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife

Gingerbread Pancakes

I love making breakfast. There is something about starting off the day with something special. Ethan loves pancakes, so I love to make them for him. They are super easy to make and they are one of his favorites, it is a win-win situation. I will always take extra pancakes and layer them between wax paper and place them in a ziplock for later use. You can easily pop them in a toaster or a microwave to warm them up and it is a homemade breakfast in just seconds.

Gingerbread is a flavor that I often overlook during the holidays, I am always all about the chocolate. However, I am learning to appreciate it more and more. Ginger snaps and maple gingerbread cookie dough ice cream, yeah I think that will change anyone's mind about the gingerbread flavor. These pancakes were just icing on the cake or syrup on the pancake to our new gingerbread fascination. 

I choose this recipe from The Red Headed Baker's cooking blog as part of a cooking swap that is hosted by A Taste of Home Cooking. They are always so much fun. I love choosing something delicious and these were perfect! 

Ingredients:

1 cup of All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon of Baking Powder

1/8 teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/8 teaspoon of Salt

1 1/2 teaspoon of Ground Ginger

1/2 teaspoon of Ground Allspice

1/4 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of Ground Cloves

1 Egg, large

2/3 cup of Milk

2 tablespoons of Molasses

Directions:

First, in a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.

Now, in a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg, milk, and molasses together. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Next, heat a griddle pan to medium heat, spray with nonstick spray. Using a 1/4 cup measurement, scoop the batter onto the pan. Let cook for a few minutes until lightly browned, flip and cook until the other side is lightly browned, a few more minutes.

Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,

The Barbee Housewife

Baked Buffalo Shrimp

I love quick and easy dinners. This shrimp takes about 5 minutes to prepare and that is being generous, and it only takes 15 minutes to bake.

This recipe is reminiscent of one of our favorites, Lemon-Butter Shrimp. I said that exact statement to Ethan, and his response was, "Oh yeah, that recipe. Everyone raved about that and loved it." There was definitely a sound of so, why aren't we making that for dinner instead?

During dinner, he said he thought this recipe was better. I am not sure about better, because they are both so, so, good. This shrimp gets a kick from the buffalo sauce and amazing flavor from the Greek seasoning. You should definitely put a loaf of crusty bread in the oven for the last five minutes to warm up for dipping in the sauce. We served this with a side salad and dinner was ready. This is a perfect weeknight meal.
Source: Oysters & Pearls

Ingredients:
2 Lemons, sliced
1 lb. of Shrimp, shell removed, tail on
2 tablespoons of Greek Seasoning
1 stick of Butter, melted
1/2 cup of Hot Sauce, like Frank's

Directions:
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet, double line it with aluminum foil.

Now, spread the sliced lemons on the baking sheet; top with shrimp. Spread the seasoning on top of the shrimp, drizzle the butter on top, and then drizzle with hot sauce.

Bake for 15 minutes. When it comes out of the oven, give it a big stir to mix it all together.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife